Typewriting machine



March 10, 1925. 1,529,451

J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRI'I'ING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 27 1919 s Sheets-Sheet '1 J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRI'TING MACHINE March 10, 1925. 1,529,451

Original Filed Jan. 27 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm? for. w r

I Afro/n March 10, 1925.

J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 27, 151g 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 10,1925,

UNITED STATES PATENT ounce.

JESSE A. B. OI STAMFORD, conn'ncricur, ASSIGNOE T UNFDERLWO(JD TYPE- I WRITER COMPANY 01' NEW YORK, N. A CORPORATION .OF DEAWARE.

Application filed Janus 17 27, 1919', seri l-mi 273,235.; Renewed. August 14, 1924.

To all whomit may concern-.-

Be it known that I, Jessa A..B. SMITH, a citizen of the United. States, residing in -Stamford, in the county of Fairfieldand State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines. 'of-which'the following is a specification. I r

This invention relates to typewritingmachines, and is herein disclosed as applied to an Underwood t .pewriting machine of the so-called fan fol billing type, wherein the usual revoluble platen is adapted to be swung clear of the feed rolls against which it normally holds fan-fold or other webs or sheets,

to enable the readjustment of carbon sheets between said sheets or fan-fold webs through the manipulation'of a carbon-paper carriage. Such machines are now on the market, and are well ada ted to produce identical'copies of writing, y means of thecarbon sheets, upon forms printed upon the webs, provided the forms do not exceed eleven inches or It has been found that if the carbon-paper carriage is given a' travel of more than about, eleven inches, it becomes somewhat awkward to manipulate, because the handle by which the typist manipulates the carbonpaper carriage comes only about as far forward as the front of the typewriter carriage, so that pushing the carbon-paper carriage very far rearwardly requires an undue ex tension of the arm of the typist when seated at the typewriting machine, and an awkward reachingflforward by bending the body over the typewriter key-board. A form, requiring a greater travel of. the carbon-paper car-- riage, also entails the use of a gaging arm extending above the platen in excess of the length of the usual arm, with the result that the gaging arm vibrates unpleasantly, makin the operation of the machine noisy, this.

. vi ration being due to the fact that the arm is-ne'c'essarily light to avoid overloading the typewriter carriage, while the weight of the gage makes its end heavy.

Moreover, if the gagmg arm is more than eleven '0I' twelve inches in length, as measured from the center of the platen, the end of the arm is normally out ofreach of the typist without rising. in her seat. Besides this, the use of some forms of gage, such as aligning pins, on the gaging arm may attended with some danger, since the typist usually swings the platen upwardly length of by drawing forwardly and downward]. on t e gaging arm until it is horizontal: While the arm is horizontal, the typist usuall pushes the carbon-paper carriage rearwar y, with the result that, in'a rapid sequence of these operations, a long gage arm' comes unpleasantly near the face, especially near the eyes and hair, and, in fact, a gage for a fourteen inch form Would actually strike the head of the typist. This is partly due to the fact that if the form, viz, the severed sheet, is longer than the travel of the carbon-paper carriage, the backward travel of the carbon paper carriage will fail to carry the carbon sheets clear of the usual knife. This necessitates the turning of the platen backward, preparatory to severing the sheets after the web is gaged. To allow for this, an extra web must be gaged, equal to the amount the platen is to be turned back. Thus, if the form is three inches longer than the travel of the carbon-paper carriage,'the

length of web to be gaged will be six inches longer. than that travel. 1

I- have found it possible to overcome all these difiiculties, by utilizing, for the writing of longer forms, the present carbon-paper carriage with the usual railsgl iwhich it has the usual travel of about eleven inches. To

do this, without materially cutting down the e-fiiciency of the machine, I have found it advantageous to utilize a telescoping or extensible gaging arm which may be of substantially as light build as the arm now in use,

and which, nevertheless, may be extended to a length sufiicient to gage forms of fourteen inches or more in length. This gaging arm advantageously includes a paper-puller, and for this purpose may be provided with pins on which the typist may impale the web or webs while swinging the platen upwardly, in the usual manner. The typistcan then extend the gaging arm to its full len h while pinching. the web to the paperu er until the web is straightened out. The typist then grips the straightened-out web as it lies upon the usual front paper tableby pressure of the finger upon it. This enables the typist to hold the web at a convenient point while manipulating the carbon-paper carriage by means of a handle, said handle swung back to writing position, when the gage arm may collapse automatically by its own weight. 1

According to the present invention, a

front sto is provided for. the carbon-paper carriage, which, at the end of its backward movement, abuts against a rear stop, as usual. The above-noted paper-puller, provided with web-impaling pins, constitutes a web-holding device for grasping the web to draw it forward past the platen to the desired extent. As the web is drawn forward by meansof said device, at first the carbon paper carriage, by reason of friction between I the carbon-sheets and the web, movesforward until it is arrested by its front stop,

- afterwhieh the web is drawn furtherforward,.thus producing initially the over-shift or excess movement of the web relatively to the carbon-sheets. The above-mentioned telescoping or extensible'gaging arm may comprise a guide-arm. and a slide-bar, which latter, at its. outer end, adjustably carries said device for grasping the web to draw it forward. The guide-arm at its outer end is provided with a stationary stop which may be formed by a guide-loop, and. with which a similar stop-forming guide-loop carried by the inner-end of the slide-bar tomov'e therewith may co-operate tolimit the forward .movement of the web-holding device, thereby to enable the automatic measuring of sections of web of a length greaterthan that provided for by the travel of theearbonpaper carriage between its stops. The length of the web-section measured is determined by the distance between the front stop for the carbon-paper carriage and the web-holding device when the latter is arrested in'its forward movement by means of thestationary stop provided on the guide-arm. idhi'le the web'is manually held at its most forward position, the carbon-paper carriage is moved rearwardl against its rear stop, thereby to produce of the carbons relatively to the work-web,

nally the normal extent of shift and re-position the carbons relatively to the web for typing'the next set of forms or websections. ,Because of the fact that the meas-- ured length of forms or web-sections tobe written upon are of greater length than the extent of travel of the carbon-paper carriage, the correspondingly longer carbonsheets will project at the front of the platen after the carbon-paper carriage has been retracted against its rear stop.- Accordingly,

after the platen hasbeen returned to the writing position, it is rotated baokwardly "for thereby positioning the first unwritten section of web, together with the interleaved carbon-sheets, relatively to the writing line on the platen, and also to'brin the typed sheets into position to be severed y the usual knife. The present invention, therefore, may be considered as comprising means for greater t j knob or handle 25.

"measurin 0% sections ofweb ofalength an the machine-otherwise would be capable of using.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. v p In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is 'a perspective view, largely diagrammatic, and with many parts omitted, of an Underwood typewriting' machinev of the fan-fold type, showing-the present invention as applied thereto.

Figure 2 is, a sectional side view of the same when beginning to gage the web.

Figure 3; is a view showing the relationship of the parts just thrown up preparagaging arm for the tory to extending the purpose of gaging the web.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3,

but showing the web'gaged with the gaging and the webshave been retracted by back ward turning of the platen and the forms just filled in have been detached.

In the usual Underwood fan-fold typewri'ting machine, a fan-fold web 10, or a series of webs, is drawn forward over a rear bar 11 of a framework 12, forming an extension ofthe typewriter carriage 13, and passes downward over a rod 14 and over a paper table 15. Then it passes the rear feed roll 16 andthe front feed roll 17,

'which carry it around and hold-it against the'platen 18, so that the web may lie on a front platen. V v

In order to rotate the platen to advance theweb, the usual line-space handle 20 may be actuatedto drive-rearwardly the usual slide 21, which is efiective by means of the usual pawl, not shown, to rotate the linepaper table 19, extending above the space wheel 22 fast to the axle 23, on which is also fast a pinion 24 and the universal As is'usual in the fanfold machines, the pinion 24 drives the platen, because the platen 18 is fast to a second pinion 26, identical with the pinion 24, both pinions meshing with, the idle pinion 26-fast upon a shaft 27.

When the web 10 is drawn forward, it

draws forward along with it the carbon sheets 28, which are attached in the usual manner by means of clips 29- to' a carbonpaper carriage 30, so that characters wr1tten by the types 31 upon the outer sheet of the web 10 will be reproduced by the the form is thus filled out and lies in. this carbon paper upon the inner sheets of the When a form is thus written upon and filled out line after line, and advanced by the line-space lever 20, it extends upweb.

ward above the front papertable 19 and hes upon a gage arm 32in full sight of the typist.

According to the present invention, when a form is completely filled out, it will often extend its leading end 33. beyond the end of the gage arm 32, as shown in Figure. 1 and also H1 full lines in Figure2, When position, .the typist presses rearwardly a catch 34, which normally engages a lug 35 upon a handle 36, thereby releasing said handle and permitting the typist to draw forward/upon the handle 36, and thereby,

paper table 19. Before swinging the platen in the manner described, the typist usuallv finds it. most convenlent to gage the web by causing openings 38 therein to fit upon one or more pins 39, which serve as one form of-end gage or paper-puller, said pins'being fast upon a plate 40,'w hich is slidably mounted on the gage arm- 32.

Where a plurality of superposed separate webs are used, impaling the webs on the pins serves to realign them if any have crept relatively to the others. This gaging causes a temporary bending of the web and the carbon sheets, as shown in dotted lines at 41, Figure 2, but this bending is immaterial, since the typist draws the plate 40' out along the gage arm 32, on which it is slidably 'mounted, until thepins 39 reach the limit of their travel, shownin Figure 4; The pins 39 and plate 40 form a webholding device for graspingthe web 10 to draw it forward past the platen. This drawing forward of the web 10 draws forward the carbon-paper carriage 30, because of the friction of the-carbon sheets 28 upon the various plies of the web 10. The carhon-paper carriage, however, can only come partway forward, because it-strikes a fixed front stop 42, as shown in Figure 4, with the result that the drawing of the web 10, after the carbon carriage. 30 strikes the stop, causes the web to move forwardly relatively to the carbon sheets.

In order to permit the sliding of the plate 40 relatively to-the gage arm 32, the plate 40 is adjustably mounted by thumb screw 43 upon the outer end part of a-slide bar 44, said slide-bar. slidingin a bracket or slide 45, forming a guide-loop having bent-over ends 45 embracing the bar 44 and fast to the free end of the gage arm 32, which forms a guide-arm. In order to means of a guide the lower end of the slide-bar or arm 44, it carries a bracket 46, which forms a slide, or-guide'loop, having bent-over ends 46, embracing the guide-arm 32 and slidable thereon, with the result that the plate 40 must always slide parallel to itself,'since the slide-bar 44 is guided bythe two slides .or guide-loops 45 and 46.

- To preserve the accurate alignment 'of the gage or pins39 relativelyto the axis of the gage arm 32, theplate 40 isprovided with a U-shaped extension 47, similar to the usual gage of the fan-fold machine, and having the thumb screw 43 passing through the bottom of the. U. and bearing against: the

, back-of the slide-bar-44, The limit of the throw of the web-holding or web-grasping pins 39 is determined by the striking of the bracket or guide-loop 46, forming a movable stop, against the bracket 0.1" guide-loop 45 whichformsa stationary stop, and the point 'at which the pinswill be thus arrested may be varied by adjusting their position upon the slide-bar 44. The stop .45, for

limiting theoutward movement of the webholding device, comprising the impaling pins 39 and the slida-ble plate 40, cooperates with the front carbon-paper carriage stop 42 to'enablethe automatic measuring of sections of web of a length greater than that :providedfor by the limits of travel of the carbon-paper carriage 30. a

When the carbon sheets are in the Figure 4 position, the typist may shift the carbon sheets rearwardlv, along the web'by pushing' rearwardly upon the handle 48. which, being. fast to the carbon-paper carriage -30, has been brought above the'front of the keyboard. This slides the carbon carriage rearwardly along its usual rails 49, which form the sides of the framework 12. in the structure herein disclosed, the handle 48 is longer than the usual one 'by about five inches, thus bringing the handle to a point near the front of the keyboard, where it is convenient, even. if the typist bends rearwardlv out of the way of the end of the gage slide 44 when thrown forward. The carbon-paper carriage 30 is arrested at the rearward limit of 'its travel by an adjustable rear stop or pin 50, thus arresting the carbon paper at the point seen in Figure 5. The carbon sheets 28 are now correctly positioned relatively to the next succeeding unwritten set of forms or web-sections, although both the carbon sheets and new forms project for some distance at the front of the platen 18, by reason of their extra length. At this time, or earlier, the typist usually seizes the web 10 by pressing it against the front paper table 19 with'the thumb adjacent one of the usual side gages 31, inasmuch as it is more convenient to handle the web at this point than adjacent the extended plate 40,

1 Since the-typist can easily hold ajweb in place by pressure of .the thumb upon the pa:

.PQI table 19, the webmaybe allowed to drop clear of theipins 39. At this time, if desired, the typist then swings the platen back to normal position, with the result that the slide arm: 44 will automatically slide back, under the influence of gravity, to the Figure 6 position,- in which the U 47 lies against the slide 45, or else the bracket 46 lies against a stop 53, the web usually falling over the rear end of'the slide arm 44, as shown in Figure 6. This slightly advances the carb on-paper carriage 30, because the stretchof web between the front paper table 19'and the rear paper table 15 is lengthened by being bent around theplaten, instead of being extended straight, as seen 'in Figure 5. The typist then rotates the platen rearwardly by the usual handle knob 25 to the Figure 7 position, to

bring the ends of the carbon sheets Just above the writing line and just below the usual knife 54. The typist then seversthe typewritten forms by drawing them against the knife 54 or operating the knife in any. usual or desired manner, with the result that the. typewritten forms are severed at the proper point and the new forms stand ready to be written on at the printing point.

In order to permit the proper positioning of the carbon sheets relatively to the printing point, when moved rearwardly to the Figure 5 position, the rear stop may beadjustably positioned in any one of the usual openings 55. It will .be observed that may be readily detached by loosening 'the' pin 58, which steadies it.

the gage arm 32 need be no longer than the usual am, sothat there islittle more tendency for it to rattle or to. vibrate than in the usual machine. By using the above-described web-holding device together with the limitedly extensible arm shown, it is possible to employ forms (and carbon 'sheets of corresponding length) having a length, when severed. considerably longer carbon-paper carth-umb screw 57, which holds it in place.' This enables it to he lifted off the dowel The-usual handle may be easily replaced by the handle 48, since it is held in place by nuts 59 screwed down on bolts 60, which pass through the body of the carbon-paper carriage, and

through openings in the base 61 of the handle. Not even the skill ofa repair man is needed to place these new parts on the machine, and which co-operate with the features thereof to enable the typing of work on forms of considerably greater length than could otherwise be used. r It will be observed that the extra length of web to be measured from the' knife by the slidable web-holding device is about double the length cess of the travel ofthe carbon-carriage, but

of the form on the web in exthis does not ,interfere with easy and accurate measuring, owing to the fact that this device, when ,the arm 32 is horizontal, is convenient tothe typists hands.

2 Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions oflthe improvements may be use without-others.

Having thus described my 'invention, I

claim 1. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen-frame, a platen revolublev therein, and worksheet-positioning .means comprising a sheet-holding device for grasping the forward end of a work-sheet to draw it past the platen, and a support, -on the outer end of which said sheet-holding device is mounted, said support being collapsible, whereby. the forward end of said work-sheet may be grasped by said sheetholding device, collapsed, and 'the work-sheet drawn forward until the support is restored to its full length; means being provided for mechanicallly limiting the extending movement of said-support.

2. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen-frame, a platen revoluble therein, vand. worksheet-positioning means comprising a device whereby the forward end-of, a work-sheet may be held to draw it past the platen, and a support, on the outer end of which saidsheet-holding device is mounted, said support 'bein collapsible, whereby the forward end 0 said when vsaid support is' work-sheet may be held by said sheet-'hold- I ing device, when said support is collapsed, and the work-sheet drawn forward until the support is restored to its full length, the co lapsible support comprisin at its'outer end a guide along which sai holding device is slidable, means for mechanically limiting the extending movement of said support, and means for securing ing device in any desired position.

3. In a typewritingmachine, in combinasaid holdtion,- a travelin typewriter carriage, a;

platen revoluble'in'said,carria e, a carbonsheet-carriage slidable on the typewriter carriage,'means to'limit the forward and rearward movement of said carbon-sheet carriage,';and means capable of gaging web sections of greater length than provided for by the forward travel of the carbon-carof the web may be held and drawn forward therewith, and a support for said gaging member to enable saidsections of greater length to be gaged, said support being collapsible and normally in collapsed condition, and opened out by the movement of said gaging member, means being provided for mechanically limiting the opening movement of said support. I y v 4. In a typewriting machine,'in combination, a traveling typewriter carriage, va

platen revoluble therein, a sheet-holding device' for grasping awork-sheet to draw it forward past the platen, a slide-bar upon which said device is mounted, a guide-arm for the slide-bar mounted on the typewriter carriage at the delivery side of the platen and upon which said device carried by the slide-bar is slidable outward with the slidebar beyond the free end of the guide-am, a stop for limiting the outwardfmbvement of the slide-bar on the guide-arm to enable the automatic measuring of a portion of said work-sheet-drawn forward by said de-.

vice, and means for adjustingsaiddevice along the slide-bar for" variably -determining the length of the portion of the worksheet measured by said device.

5. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a traveling typewriter carriage, a platen revoluble therem, means for raising the platen to 'permit a web to bestraightened outand drawn forward thereunder, a

web-holding device for grasping the web to draw it forward past the platen, a slide-bar upon which said device is mounted, a guidearm for the slide-bar mounted on the type,- writer carriage at the delivery sidev of the platen and upon which said device carried by the slide-bar is slidable outward with the slide-bar beyond the free end of the guidearm, and a stop. for limiting the outward movementof the slide-bar on the guide-arm to enable the automatic measuring of sections of said web by said device when the slide-bar is drawn out against its said stop.

6. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a travelin typewriter carriage, a platen revoluble t erein, a front paper-table on said carriage, a ide-armadapted to be detachably mounts on the front papertable, a sheet-holding device for grasping a work-sheet to draw it forward pastthe platen, a slide-bar ca ing said deviceand slidable along the gui e-arm to move said device outwardly beyond the free end of the guide-arm, and a stop for limiting the outward movement of the slide-bar on the guide-arm to enable the automatic measur ing of a portion of said work-sheet drawn forward by said device.

frame at the delivery side 0 the 7.- In a typewriting machine, in combination,; a traveling typewriter carriage, a j

platen revoluble therein, a. front'paper-table on said carriage, a guide-arm adapted to be detachably mounted on the front papertable, a sheet-holding device for grasping a work-sheet to. draw it forward past the platen, a slide-bar carrying said device and slidable along the guide-arm-to move said device outwardly beyond" the free end of the guide-arm to an' extent substantially equal to the length of the guide-arm, a guide-loop carried by the inner end ofthe slide-bar and embracing the guide-arm, another guide-loop on the outer end of the guide-arm and embracing the slide-bar, said guide-loops acting as (lo-operating stops for limiting the outward movement of the slidebar onthe guide-arm to enable the auto-- -matic' measuring of a portion of said worksheet drawn forward by said device, and meansjor adjustlng said device along the slide-bar for variably determining the length of the portion measured by said device."

'8. In a typewriting machine, in cdmbination, a traveling carriage, a platen revoof the work-sheet luble therein, a swing-frame for raising the I platen to permit' a web to be straightened out and drawn forward thereunder, a web-holding device for grasping the web to' draw it forward past the platen, a slide-bar upon which said device is mounted, a guide-armfor the slide-bar mounted upon the swing-frame at the delivery side of the platen to swing forward therewith, and guiding connections between the slide-bar and the guide-arm providing for the movement of said device outwardly beyond the free end of the guide-arm, said vconnections including a 'stop for limiting the outward movement of the slide-bar on the guide-arm to enable the automatic measuring of sections of said web by said device when the slide-bar is drawn out against said stop.

9. Ian. typewriting machine, in combination, a traveling carr1age,-a platen revoluble therein, a swin -frame for raising the platen to permit a we to be straightened out and drawn forward thereunder, a web-holding device for graspin the web to draw, it forward .past the p aten, a slide-bar upon whichsaid device is mounted, a. 'de-arm for the slide-bar mounted u on t a swing-' laten to swing forward therewith, and g'ui ing connections between the slide-bar and-the idearm providin for the movement of said device outward y beyond the free end of the guide-arm, said connections including a stop for limiting the outward movement of the slide-bar on the guide-arm to enable the automatic measuring of sections of said web by said device when the slide-bar is drawn (ix I tions providing free sliding 'movement permitting said device to return automatically to normal position on the guide-arm when the guide-arm is swung rearwardly by the swing-frame to restore the typing position.

10. Ina front-strike. typewriting machine, theecmbihation with a platen and a frame upon which the platen is mounted.

for upward isplacement from typing position to permit straightening out of a work-web thereon, of acarrier for carbonsheets, said carrier movable forwardly with the work-web and backwardly relatively thereto, means to limit the forward movements of'the carbon-carrier, means to limit a the rearward movementsiof the carbon-car rier, whereby relative shifting may he effected between the work-Web and the carbon's to an extent limited by'the range of movement of the carbon-carrier,-the displaced condition of the platen permitting also'an additional relative shifting of workweb and carbons by drawing forward the work-web while the carbon-carrier is detained by its front stop, an overshift gage mounted at' the delivery side of the platen for displacement with the platen-frame to .position to gage the extent of the overshift,

Whereby the machine is adapted to handle a work-web printed with a succession of forms each of which has a length in excess v .of the range of travel of said carbon-carand bring the web to severing position.

rier, and a web-seyerer upon the platenframe in position tosever the web in position for the first line of typing upon the fresh form thereon, said severer so placed that, Whenthe platen is restored to typing position, the carbons project past the severer, the platen belng rotatable backwardly to clear the carbons from the severer 11. In a front-strike typewriting ma.- chine, the combination with a platen and a frame upon which the platen is mounted for displacement from typlng position upward- 1y to permit straightening out of a workweb thereon, of a carrier forcarbon-sh'eets,

-sa-id carrier" movable forwardly with the platen to the work-web and shiftable rearwardl relatively thereto, and a gage for the eading endof the straightened-outwork-Web, said gage mounted at the delivery. side of the platen to be displaced together with said platen-frame, -and comprising membersloosely linked together, one of said members fixed upon said platen-frame and the other having means whereby its movement of extension is mechanically limited, said members being constantly loose for relative opening and collapsing movements.

12. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and a frame upon which the platen is mounted for upward displacement from typing position to permit straighteningout of a workweb thereon,.of a carrier for carbon-sheets, said carrier movable forwadly with the work-web and backwardly relatively there. to, means to limit the forward movements of" the carbon-carrier, means to limit the rearto gage the extent of the overshift',,whereby the machine isadapte'd to handle a workweb printed with a succession of forms each of which has a length in excess of the range of travel'of said carbon-carrier, said gage comprisin members loosely linked together, one ofsai members fixed upon said platenframe and the other having means whereby its movement of extension is mechanically limited.

a JESSE A. B. SMITH.

Witnesses v.

J NNIE P. THoRNE, EDITH B. LmBEY. 

